Research on financial waste of long-term detention

Independent researchpublished today by Detention Action, finds that £75 million per year of public money could be saved through reducing the long-term detention of migrants who cannot be deported.

The research was conducted by Matrix Evidence, independent economic consultants with a long record of working for the government. It assesses the savings that could be made through the timely release of migrants who are currently released after long-term detention.

The research finds that supporting these migrants in the community would cost around £1 million per year, if they are not granted the right to work. However, these costs are dwarfed by savings of £76 million per year that would come with the reduced use of expensive detention space, as well as unlawful detention payments.

These savings are equivalent to the costs of at least three detention centres.